Cotton picker



July 1, 1941. c. R. HAGEN COTTON PIGKER Filed March 18, 1939 I21 van for Clare1z0l15ayen Patented July 1, 1941 COTTON PICKER Clarence R. Hagen, Chicago, Ill., assignor to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey 9 Application March 18, 1939, Serial No. 262,751

7 Claims.

This invention relates to a cotton picker. More specifically it relates to a dolfer construction for removing the cotton from the spindles of a rotating spindle type of cotton picker.

In cotton pickers utilizing rotating type of spindles, teeth are usually employed on the spindles to increase their aggressiveness in removing cotton from the plants and from partially open bolls. It has also been found desirable to taper the spindles, particularly when employing teeth thereon in order to facilitate removal of the cotton fibers, a substantial portion of which are wrapped around the spindle during the picking operation. As an additional method of improving the effectiveness of dofiers for conical picking spindles, a doffing area has been provided by angling the conical spindles with respect to the axis of their supporting and carrying means so that one edge of the spindle at all times lies in a plane. This construction constitutes the subject-matter of the Johnston Patent 1,888,506, November 22, 1932. In such a construction, a doling area is provided as determined by the overlapping portions of the surface defined by the edges of the dofling elements which engage the spindles and the area defined by the spindles during movement of the carrier on which they are mounted. It is to a doifer for a construction as shown in the above identified patent that the present invention relates.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide an improved dofier construction which is effective to remove cotton fibers from conical picking spindles over a long period of time without excessive wear or adjustment.

A subsidiary object is to provide a doffer element as a one-piece rubber construction molded to accurately fit the supporting structure and to embody spindle-engaging portions properly designed to remove cotton from picking spindles.

Another object is to provide a doffer structure in which the rubber dofllng element is adequately supported by a simple and positive one-piece clamping member.

The above objects and others which will be apparent from the detailed description to follow are accomplished by a structure in which spaced rigid supporting members having a plurality of projections thereon are utilized to support a resilient doffing element formed with domng projections engaging the projections on the supporting member and held in position thereon by a simple clamping means.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 shows a portion of a picker drum structure including two conical dofiing spindles and a dofling structure, one-half of which is shown in section; I

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of one of the resilient dofling elements shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of one of the dofier clamping elements shown in elevation and in vertical section in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a section taken on the line 44 of Figure 1; and,

Figure 5 is a section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Referring to Figure 1, a vertical support l0 represents a carrier member for rotatable spindles II. This structure may be of any type but is preferably of the type shown in the Johnston patent, previously referred to. A plurality of the supports I0 is mounted on the supporting structure and carry a plurality of the vertically spaced spindles H which are moved past the dofier structure during operation of the picker. As the invention resides in the dofier mechanism, only such parts of the picker construction have been shown as are necessary to illustrate the invention.

The dofier mechanism consists essentially of a vertical shaft 12 mounted for rotation at the proper relative speed with respect to the movement and rotation of the spindles II, as shown in the Johnston patent. For each row of spindles l I, a separate dofler mechanism is provided.

Each dofling mechanism consists of a rigid supporting member l3 splined on the shaft l2. The drawing illustrates the upper member 13 as abutting a member l4 at the top of the shaft l2 which forms a shoulder. The supporting member I3 is provided with a sleeve portion IS in which the splines are formed for mating with the splines on the shaft l2. A plurality of integral projections i6 is formed around, in circumferentially spaced position, the periphery of the member I 3. Said projections are tapered in cross-section and are generally apical in shape, as shown in Figure 4.

A resilient dofflng element designated in its entirety by the numeral I1 is preferably formed of reasonably hard good grade rubber, such as used in the treads of automobile tires. Such rubber is very tough and is suited to use in the dofier mechanism of the invention. The doffer element I1 is annular in shape and is provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced, radially arranged projections H! which form the dofllng portions of the element. Said portions are formed integrally with pockets IQ of the same shape and size as the projections "i on the supporting member Hi. It will be noted that said projecting portions l6 are angled in all directions to permit easy assembling of the doillng element thereover. It will also be noted in Figure 1 that the projections l8 are spaced inwardly. from the outer edge of the member l3 so that the outer edge (fi'the dofling element l'l substantially coincides with the outer edge of the supporting member II. To complete the dofling element l1, the portions I8 are connected by relatively thin webs ll. of a uniform thickness.

After fitting the dofllng element I! on the supporting member", a clamping member 20 is fitted over the dofling element to secure it firm] in position. Said clamping member is pro ed with a plurality of spaced clamping portions- 2| diverging in size toward the outer ends. Said portions or wings, as they may be termed, fit between the dofling portions ll of the dofiing element, lying on the web portions l8, being spaced apart. The wings 2| form slots 22 therebetween through which the dofling portions ll extend.

The clamping member 20 is provided with a large central aperture 23 which fits over the hub portion of the clamping member IS. To provide centering means and a seat for the clamping member 20, a plurality of diagonally extending webs 24 extend outwardly from the sleeve portions l of the dofling member joining the disk portion at the top. Said webs are formed with machined surfaces 25 of the same general diameter as the opening 23 in the clamping member, whereby said member may be slipped over the webs being accurately centered thereby. At the upper ends of the surfaces 25, surfaces 26 are machined on the webs 24 to form stop shoulders against which the clamping member abuts. Said shoulders are spaced from the underneath surface of the supporting member IS a distance substantially the same as the thickness of the webs I8 of the dofling element.

Referring to Figure 5 which is a cross-section through the base of one of the wing extending portions 2|, the clamping member is formed slightly arcuate in cross-section at these locations. This cross-section gives additional strength to the clamping portions and forms a certain amount of resiliency whereby the dofling element may be securely clamped in position. To secure each of the clamping members 20 in position and to form a shield for facilitating discharge of the doffed cotton, a-member 21 is inserted between each pair of supporting members I3. Said member is provided with a cylindrical upper portion which fits the surfaces on the webs 24. The upper end of the cylindrical portion engages the underneath side of the corresponding clamping member I3, thereby holding said member rigidly in position against a shoulder formed by the surface 26 on the webs. The lower portion of the member 21 extends outwardly as a flat cone to engage the upper surface of the adjacent supporting member. As shown on the portion in elevation in Figure 1, the shape of the member 21 allows room for adjustment of the vertical position of the dofier with respect to the spindles while at the same time providing. a passage of proper clearance and contour for the discharge of cotton dofl'ed from the spindles.

The operation of the doifer constituting this invention has been explained in connection with the description. It will be understood that a doffing unit is provided for each vertical row of spindles. As is conventional in dofl'ers of this type, vertical adjustment is provided to locate the dofllng portions of the dofllng elements at the proper relative position with respect to the spindles. As wear occurs, the dofling elements may be brought-closer to the spindles. nature of domng elements constituting this invention results in long life and freedom from excessive wear or damage to the spindles. When the useful life of the elements has been reached, they may be readily replaced without a great deal of care in bringing back alinement, as the nature of the construction is such that the dimensions may be maintained sufliciently accurate to automatically obtain the correct alinement merely by clamping new 'doffing elements in position.

It is to be understood that applicant has shown only one form of his improved resilient doiiing means for cotton pickers and that he claims as his invention all modifications falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

l. A dofling unit for a cotton picker of the rotating spindle type, comprising a disk-like support having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, axially projecting lugs, a doffer element of resilient material mounted on said support, said element having dofling portions fitted over said lugs and web-connecting portions joining said dofling portions, and a securing element for said dofling element consisting of an annular plate having projections extending between the dofling portions of the dofling element and fitting against the web-connecting portions.

2. A dofling unit for a cotton picker of the rotating spindle type, comprising a disk-like supporting structure having a plurality of cir cumferentially spaced, axially extending bosses, a one-piece rubber doffing element having dofling ribs formed thereon at circumferentially spaced positions, -said ribs having cavities therein adapted to fit over the bosses on the supporting member, and a second annular member having radially extending projections positioned to engage the dofling element between the ribs thereon for clamping the element in posit-ion.

3. A doifing unit for a cotton picker of the rotating spindle type, comprising a supporting -part, and a doifer part thereon and including spaced resilient ribs, said supporting part also carrying rigid reenfo'rci'ng ribs extending into the resilient ribs.

4. A dofling unit for a cotton picker of the rotating spindle type, comprising a disk-like supporting part, a doifer element of resilient material mounted on said part, said element having axially projecting dofling portions and connecting portions joining said dofiing portions, and a securing element for said doffing element consisting of a plate having projections extending between the dofling portions of the dofling element and fitting against the connecting web portions. v

5. A doffing unit for a cotton'picker of the rotating spindle type, comprising a disk-like support, a dofier element of resilient material mounted on said support, said element having axially projecting dofling portions and connecting portions joining said dofiing portions, and a securing element for said dotting element.

6. A dofling unit for a cotton picker of the rotating spindle type, comprising a supporting element and doifer element carried thereby, said The resilient doffer element consisting of an annular onepiece rubber structure having a plurality of spaced dofling ribs and webs connecting said ribs, said webs providing for means for attaching the element to the supporting element.

7. A doffing unit for a cotton picker of the rotating spindle type, comprising a supporting member having a plurality of circumferentially spaced, axially projecting lugs, a doffer element of resilient material mounted on said member, said element having domng portions fitted over said lugs, and a securing element for said dofiing element.

CLARENCE R. HAGEN. 

